Assassin's Creed (c) Ubisoft

Concept: Sannam

Edward fiddled with his wedding ring, while sitting in the waiting room. Complications had arouse and they rushed Tessa into surgery to do an emergency C-section. He didn't know if Caroline had any complications when she had Jenny, since he frankly wasn't there, so needless to say he was a bundle of over anxious nerves.

Edward sighed, running his hand through his hair, wanting a doctor to at least come out and tell him that his wife and son were all right, anything to ease the anxiety of waiting. "Mr. Kenway?" a woman asked. Edward looked up to see the doctor, a wide smile on the woman's face. "Mother and child are doing excellent. We've moved your wife to a nice room in the maternity ward, they're waiting for you."

"Thank you," Edward said as he stood up.

"This way, I'll take you to them," the doctor said, leading Edward through the corridors of the hospital. Edward wiped his hands on his jeans, feeling more nervous than he did sitting there. He was moments away from meeting his son, Haytham. The thought of being a father petrified him, having utterly failed with Jenny. Now here was a new little life that he could potentially screw up. No. No, I won't screw this up. This is my second chance. Whatever comes, I won't drive Tessa and Haytham away. No matter what, I couldn't bear to lose them both. Edward thought, as he walked through the door into the room they had put Tessa in.

His wife, her chocolate locks sweaty and cascading around her, looked weary and overjoyed simultaneously. Nestled in her arms, in a sky blue blanket, was their son. "Ted," Tessa whispered. Edward flushed, embarrassed that she'd call him that here of all places. "Come see our son, Edward."

Edward closed the gap between them and gently pulled the blanket down to see his little boy. Haytham, with his eyes squeezed tightly shut, slumbered on in the safety of his mother's arms. "Isn't he beautiful, Edward?" Tessa breathed, staring at her baby, utterly enraptured with the little life she had birthed. "Hello Haytham, Mommy and Daddy are so pleased to finally meet you." She pressed a kiss to her tiny son's forehead.

"He's perfect Tessa," Edward said.

"Hold him." She offered the baby to him and Edward swallowed, glancing around, trying to find a way out.

"What if I drop him?" Edward muttered. "I'm… I've never held a baby."

"Not even Jenny?"

"I wasn't around much when she was a baby," Edward replied, "so no."

"No worries, it's instinct, you know how to hold him," Tessa said and pressed Haytham to her husband's chest. Edward wrapped his arms around the newborn, nestling his head in the crook of his arm and holding him close to his chest. Haytham whimpered and squirmed, but upon hearing his father's heartbeat he settled down, still tired from the most exhausting event so far in his young life: being born.

Edward sat down in the chair next to Tessa's bed, fearful his legs would give out. He stroked Haytham's tiny fingers, and his son wrapped them around one finger. "He's so small," Edward whispered.

"Mmm… I know, though the doctor assured me he was of normal weight and length, I'm sure he'll bulk up as he grows," Tessa said, resting her cheek against Edward's head. "My boys."

"We're a family now, Tessa. The three of us, a real family," Edward looked at her, "you know Thatch'll probably throw a welcoming party when we get home to celebrate."

"I know, it'll be nice, since I was never able to schedule a baby shower," Tessa mused.

"Tessa, don't leave me," Edward whispered. "Please, I can't bear to lose you."

Tessa smiled as she cupped his face, before pressing a kiss to his forehead. "Oh, Edward… I already have left you."

"No—"

"—Tessa!" Edward shouted, jerking awake. He took in several breathes, as reality settled in around him. "Just a nightmare," he muttered, "just a nightmare." He rubbed his face before glancing at the clock. The green numbers flashed four o'clock in the morning, on November 30th. Haytham's seventh birthday was in five days.

Edward got out of bed and pulled a pair of pajama bottoms on, before heading into his son's room. He glanced at Haytham's room, a plane white desk with scuff marks and chips had a few action figures on it as well as a desk lamp. A plain, beat up dresser in one corner, and above the desk were shelves with books, mostly the Magic School Bus. Edward spied his son curled up in bed, blankets tangled around him and old stuffed eagle tucked under his arm. Like the rest of the furniture in Haytham's room, the bed was also rather plane, and the toy eagle Edward found at the Goodwill one day.

Haytham chewed on the beak of the toy eagle, grey eyes following his mother while his father held him. "I'll be back around three," Tessa said, stuffing her keys into her purse. "Thanks for letting me have this."

"Hey, it's no problem," Edward replied, bouncing Haytham up higher. The boy merely blinked at his father. "The little sea urchin and I have some quality time to spend together, plus even mamas need to recharge, isn't that right Haytham?" Edward asked, tickling his son's stomach. Haytham giggled.

"Well, I'm glad," Tessa said. "Bye-bye Haytham, Mommy will be back soon," she cooed, kissing Haytham's chubby cheek. "Bye," she told her husband, picking his lips. "Love you."

"Love you too, Tessa," Edward said, watching her leave, unaware that would be the last time he saw her alive. The door closed and Edward turned, hoisting his son over his head. "C'mon, Haytham, let's go build ourselves a block fort and you can knock it down? Whaddya say?"

By the grin on Haytham's face, he was extremely pleased with the idea. Edward smiled back in return and spent the next few hours building block forts and watching his young son, smash them with his toy eagle.

The doorbell rang. "Bet that's Mama," Edward said, even though he new Tessa couldn't have been done with shopping that early, it was only two-thirty and the mall as a good half hour away from their house. Haytham made an enthused noise and held up his hands. Edward scooped him up, tucking Haytham close before heading to the door.

Edward was shocked to see a police officer on his doorstep. He swallowed, keeping his face neutral, and wondering what the cop could want from him. He'd been out of illegal activity since he met Tessa and now doubly so since Haytham came along. "Afternoon Officer," Edward greeted, "what brings you to my humble home?"

"Mr. Kenway," the officer said and glanced at Haytham, who had resumed chewing the beak of his toy eagle. "Maybe I come inside?"

"Uh, sure…" Edward stepped aside to allow the officer access to his home. The officer closed the door and glanced around, noting family photos. One in particular caught his eye, featuring Tessa, Haytham and Edward, all smiling around a birthday cake with a one-shaped candle on top.

"Nice family," the officer said, and Edward felt the man sounded guilty.

"Taken last year, my son's first birthday," Edward said, not bothering to mask the note of pride in his voice. "He liked the frosting."

"Heh." The office took his hate off and rubbed his short cropped hair. "Mr. Kenway, I'm sorry but there is no easy way for me to tell you this…" he trailed off.

"Tell me what?" Edward asked, holding onto Haytham with both hands now. He felt the sudden urge of being in close physical contact with someone, and holding Haytham settled his nerves, slightly.

"Mr. Kenway, your wife… she's been killed. Drive by shooting. A bullet went astray and struck her in the chest, piercing her aorta. She died in seconds. I'm sorry."

There was silence and an unearthly stillness, broken only by a motherless child's wails of grief driven despair, and Haytham's toy eagle lay abandoned on the floor.

Edward sighed, looking away from the toy eagle, before going over to sit on Haytham's bed. He stroked his son's head until he woke. "Father?" Haytham whispered, cracking an eye open. "Father, what's the matter?"

"Nothing, nothing," Edward muttered, forcing a smile. "Go back to sleep, just came in to check on you."

"Oh." Haytham blinked, rubbing his face against his pillow. "Night," he mumbled.

"Night," Edward muttered, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to his son's cheek. "Love ya, son."

"Love you too, Father," Haytham replied sleepily.

Just something bitter sweet I thought of as I turned off my PS3, after getting down playing AC4. I wrote it.

Also, this comes with an announcement. Next month I'll be putting all fics on a temp. hiatus while I partake in Camp Nano, working on a new story idea. Hopefully, I'll have this finished but it not, don't expect any updates for an entire month.

Also, Jackdaw in the Dark is on a temp. hiatus until I beat AC: Rogue.

Just thought I let you guys know!

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I'll assume some level of loathing and hatred for this fic if you read but don't review.

-Nemo